diff --git a/pkgs/create-neon/data/templates/manifest/base/default.json.hbs b/pkgs/create-neon/data/templates/manifest/base/default.json.hbs
index 291c547d0..1da7e61da 100644
--- a/pkgs/create-neon/data/templates/manifest/base/default.json.hbs
+++ b/pkgs/create-neon/data/templates/manifest/base/default.json.hbs
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 
 {
-  "name": "{{package.name}}",
-  "version": "{{package.version}}",
+  "name": "{{packageSpec.name}}",
+  "version": "{{packageSpec.version}}",
   "main": "index.node",
   "scripts": {},
   "devDependencies": {
-    "@neon-rs/cli": "{{versions.neonCLI}}"{{#eq package.library.lang compare="ts"}},
+    "@neon-rs/cli": "{{versions.neonCLI}}"{{#eq packageSpec.library.lang compare="ts"}},
     "@tsconfig/node{{versions.tsconfigNode.major}}": "^{{versions.tsconfigNode.semver}}",
     "@types/node": "^{{versions.typesNode}}",
     "typescript": "^{{versions.typescript}}"{{/eq}}
diff --git a/pkgs/create-neon/data/templates/manifest/base/library.json.hbs b/pkgs/create-neon/data/templates/manifest/base/library.json.hbs
index 701a2e71c..1a35fb4f1 100644
--- a/pkgs/create-neon/data/templates/manifest/base/library.json.hbs
+++ b/pkgs/create-neon/data/templates/manifest/base/library.json.hbs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 
 {
-  "name": "{{package.name}}",
-  "version": "{{package.version}}",
+  "name": "{{packageSpec.name}}",
+  "version": "{{packageSpec.version}}",
 {{#eq packageSpec.library.module compare="esm"}}
   "exports": {
     ".": {
diff --git a/pkgs/create-neon/src/index.ts b/pkgs/create-neon/src/index.ts
index e246996be..fa28321cc 100644
--- a/pkgs/create-neon/src/index.ts
+++ b/pkgs/create-neon/src/index.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ export type CreateNeonOptions = {
 export async function createNeon(name: string, options: CreateNeonOptions) {
   const packageSpec: PackageSpec = {
     name,
+    version: "0.1.0",
     library: options.library,
     yes: options.yes,
   };
diff --git a/pkgs/create-neon/src/package.ts b/pkgs/create-neon/src/package.ts
index 726b7b983..1ff9fce68 100644
--- a/pkgs/create-neon/src/package.ts
+++ b/pkgs/create-neon/src/package.ts
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ export type LibrarySpec = {
 
 export type PackageSpec = {
   name: string;
+  version: string;
   library: LibrarySpec | null;
   cache?: Cache | undefined;
   ci?: CI | undefined;